Gay and Lesbian Activism With a Sense of Humor

INFO:

CONTACT:

Site Resources:

Fun Stuff:

04/17/2007

Brigham Young University has changed the gay-focused section of its "honor code" from reading (in part):

"Brigham Young University will respond to student behavior rather than to feelings or orientation. . . . Advocacy of a homosexual lifestyle (whether implied or explicit) or any behaviors that indicate homosexual conduct, including those not sexual in nature, are inappropriate and violate the Honor Code."

To reading (in part):

"Brigham Young University will respond to homosexual behavior rather than to feelings or orientation and welcomes as full members of the university community all whose behavior meets university standards. . . . One's stated sexual orientation is not an Honor Code issue. However, the Honor Code requires all members of the university community to manifest a strict commitment to the law of chastity."

Hopeful news for gay students; less hopeful for those who think the human body has only one ("in part").

Your thoughts

That's pretty awesome! :-D

Posted by: Dash | Apr 17, 2007 5:16:52 PM

As a "gay Mormon boy" I have to say: This is actually a really HUGE step by Mormon/BYU standards. Being able to go to BYU and say outwardly, "I'm gay (but celibate,)" is still a lot more freedom than gay students have previously experienced there.

In this and other small ways it seems the LDS (Mormon) Church is waking up to the fact that being gay isn't something you can necessarily "overcome." They already stopped counseling gays/lesbians to marriage the opposite sex as a “cure.” They don’t even encourage reparative therapy as much as they used to.

Faced with reality, they are trying to make the existence of homosexuals fit into their doctrine – i.e. IF sex before marriage is wrong AND marriage is only for a man and a woman (or previously women) THEN gays must stay celibate during their earthly life.

Not a great position to be in, but at least now we can claim to exist and still attend a Church school.

Thanks for insight, GayMormonBoy. It certainly sounds encouraging.

I just found this, sorry, but I had a gay roomie at BYU way back in 2002. We knew, the school knew, and nobody really cared. I've told people there I was gay (although I'm simply queer) just to measure their reaction and I never had a negative one: just found that they value honesty much more than orientation.